A GAP-year student is swapping her comfortable home in Bewdley for life in southern Africa to spend four months teaching children.

Hannah Bodley, 19, of Church View, is taking part in a volunteer project, organised by Christian charity, Tearfund, in the country of Lesotho.

The relief and development charity works with Christian agencies and churches across the world.

It organises several projects, including practical activities, such as building and painting, as well as looking after children, caring for disabled people and Aids education.

Miss Bodley, who will work as part of a team of eight people, will be setting off in March after receiving four days' training in High Wycombe.

The team will be prepared for life in a different culture, taught to understand the culture in Lesotho and will also learn how to help educate people about Aids.

While in Africa, the team will be teaching nine to 12 year olds, helping to provide holiday clubs for youngsters aged between five and 13 and working in local orphanages.

Miss Bodley said: "The thing I am most looking forward to is working at the orphanages with the small children, as a lot of them have lost their parents to aids."

She added she had been inspired to take part by friends saying: "I was interested as some of my friends have done it before so I knew what was involved and it was something I wanted to do."

The teenager, who will be studying music and psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London in September, has been working full-time in a Kidderminster caf to help finance her trip.

She will also be hosting a benefit concert at Bewdley Baptist Church to help raise funds.

The concert will include a range of music from worship and classical to jazz and takes place on Thursday, January 29 at 7.15pm.